Kangaroo Spotting

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Label it and Put it in a Box

I asked my therapist if I will be diagnosed with post natal
depression or anxiety or both.

As I spoke I realized- why do I need to know?What is this constant desire to label
everything?It happens in society all
the time.We label our careers,
our sexuality, our social status.

Maybe if I fit into a category, there will be instructions on how to fix me.

So how did I get here? Could the physical rigors of being a new mom actually cause
post natal issues?The mind and body
are inexplicably linked so it makes sense that the newborn stage alone could make any sane person
crazy. Isn't sleep deprivation a form of torture?

I wish I started documenting these feelings earlier so I could see my progress.By progress I mean gone are the mornings Matt would leave for work
while tears streamed down my face. It's no coincidence that everyone in our house is getting more sleep lately.

Even though I don't feel hopeless most days, I must now deal with the residual effects of being in that state for the past few months.My thinking patterns have changed.I guess is why I asked the question- anxiety
or depression- in the first place. Now I feel less depressed and more anxious.

But what’s the difference really?Just two different words, two different labels.I might not cry as much but my hands tremble when I'm running late. There is work to be done.

The short answer- I won't be "diagnosed," but I will continue to go to sessions as long as I feel they are helpful.

So many women I know have shared their own battles with
me recently.These are women I
respect.They are educated, successful
and fun. Some are Moms (Mums) and some are not. Regardless, these women are constantly shadow boxing. We put so much pressure on ourselves that we have to fight to live up to our own expectations.

A good friend said to me recently; “You’re good at
everything you do- what makes you think being a Mom will be any different?”

It’s a fair question.Maybe it’s because nothing else I’ve ever
done in my life has mattered to me as much as this. And it's all relative.

More than anything else- I don't want Lavinia to learn to force herself into boxes or labels already created by society. Please my little baby, live outside the lines.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

You can't Fix it Overnight

When the therapist pulled out her ‘dittos’ I was immediately
reminded of grade school.

In addition to this quite complex chart, I was given another handout with hypothetical questions about
hypothetical people in hypothetical situations and asked to hypothesize on how these people may think and feel....Um...When can I talk about
me?

I’m no expert butI get it- my negative ‘thoughts’ are creating negative ‘feelings’-just tell me how to make it stop already.

Admittedly I’m not a patient person. I'm not new to this but it's been a while so I must remind myself that it won’t hurt to do some refreshing.And it DOES take
some effort to retrain the brain, just like it takes exercise to lose the baby weight.

My session wasn’t a complete waste. She did have one clever connection I had not
thought of. The link between my anxiety about
(the lack of) packing and my feelings about the trip itself.

To pre-game a visit to Buffalo I usually stress about family drama.My parents won’t
get enough of me. They will make me feel guilty when I want to see my friends.To prove I can do it all, I make too
many plans, run around Erie County until I feel like collapsing,
and sputter on until I reach Buffalo Niagara International Airport. There I will elbow my way onto the plane looking forward to 24 hours of peace.

This visit will be different.I am
returning with my new identity as a mother. I will be introducing my baby girl to the other
half of her life.

Maybe it’s time to face the fear that I may not be looking forward to that
flight back to Australia this time around.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Anxiety is a Chain Reaction

All it takes is one thing to tip the first anxiety domino. Monday it was my iPhone.

While feeding Lavinia her lunch, we were listening to Spotify and all the sudden the phone went blue and shut down. It was stuck in recovery mode and would not reboot....just when I felt like I was getting things under control.

Tuesday spent 2.5 hours at the mall so I could go to the apple store. You would think this was a positive in many ways:

1.) At least it happened before we went overseas
2.) All I lost were a few photos and text messages
3.) I was able to go to Babies R Us and buy some expensive travel crap for our trip

But no. Now I feel overwhelmed. I had to shuffle plans for the rest of the week and it's making me freak out. Normally I'm a great traveller/ packer/ organizer. This time I feel lost and don't know where to start. How can I pack baby stuff that I will need between now and then? How will I find the time to make a list? And this is only for my carry-on bag!

So what do I do? Start cancelling plans.

This does not make me feel good. I already went two days without a phone and now I'm going to have to miss out on a few social commitments. Talk about extending out the isolation. What is the universe trying to tell me?

I blogged about my feelings and was greeted by a touching response. Messages were still coming in when my phone died and I worry that kind people will think they are being ignored.

See what I mean- it all starts with a phone and suddenly I'm blowing off my friends and have to take a flight with no luggage. I'm being a bit dramatic here to make a point but still...

My second appointment with the shrink is today. I'm really looking forward to getting into things. The first visit was just me blabbing about my background (for two hours- can you say issues?) I'm just ready to get my hands on some tools to help me control my brain.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Not Sure What I Expected

In the few short days since my last post, the outpouring of support from
friends and family is overwhelming- in a good way.

Within about 10 minutes of publishing my husband got a text from his good
friend offering to help us in any way possible.

In the morning I woke up to Facebook
and SMS messages from people close to me in Australia who had no idea, my best
friends mother and her experience with being a transplant, a girl I knew in middle school, friends in Europe and Africa.

People I have plans to visit are offering to
come to me rather than have me drive to them (if only I had done this sooner!) They all tell me I am
brave.

Not sure about brave, I think impulsive might be a better word.

Regardless of the motivating factors, I do
not regret sharing my story. I am beyond grateful and humbled by the
responses.

One refreshing thing I've found in motherhood is the ability to be genuinely
honest, a trait I’ve always admired in
other people.In the past I suffered
from passive aggression- I worried too much about people liking me to openly speak my mind. Time
is too precious now for political fence-sitting.

Previously, every time I tried to write about myself there were boundaries.
I’m absolutely uncomfortable with being vulnerable right now but at the same
time I’m okay with it.Gone are the days
of censorship, of self- medication, of presenting only a surface
with most people in my world.

I need to be someone my daughter can look up to and she has given me the
courage to begin to set the example.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Facing Post Natal Depression: And My Restorative Journey To The Sea

I think I've suffered from post natal depression on and off for the last six months. Three people knew about this before I went to see a therapist last week. It's unlike me not to share.

Weakness is scary- by being so public about this, I tell myself it's brave- but my jaw is clenched as I type.

Isolation is probably the main contributing factor (among others I'm not ready to write about). I'm thousands of miles from my family and (American) friends. Six months ago I became a suburbanite with a city-girl heart. I no longer have my bearings.

Anxiety about travel, driving on the highway specifically, is a new and unwelcome passenger in my brain.

Yesterday I had plans to take an hour and a half drive to see a very good friend and she knew I was struggling with the thought of it.

Sometimes all it takes is someone to force you outside your comfort zone. If my mother were here she would tell me to suck it up and go (and since I'm a Mom now too- I may actually listen rather than do the opposite) but alas, she is not.

My friend drove the whole way to my house and talked to me about my fears until I agreed to follow her halfway to her house (where we were meant to meet). The reward- at our destination I would able to show my daughter the ocean for the first time.

The drive was tense, the experience both challenging and confidence-building. More importantly I witnessed the perplexed and pleased look on Lavinia's face when the first, cold, bubbly little wave washed over her tiny pink feet. I feel like she is going to be a natural water baby, just like her Momma.

The ocean has always healed me- imagine if anxiety stood in the way of me introducing that lifelong gift to my baby girl.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

My Sweet Lavinia

These first few months of your life have flown by with a flurry of emotions. Time has both stood still and zipped by in a blink.

You have already developed a strong personality and sense of adventure. I never know which side or end of the crib you will wake up on. You are so incredibly beautiful but more importantly you are charming, hilarious, smiley, independent and cheeky. How do you already know exactly what you want and when? It took me almost 30 years to figure that out. Look at you, already my teacher.

I love the sound of your voice. You talk to your toys, pillows and especially to your Dad.

I love your cheeks and have to remind myself to get out of your face so you can breathe sometimes because all I want to do is kiss and nuzzle your sweet face.

The big, big world belongs to you my love. I’m both fearful and excited for you to explore and put your stamp on it, surely it’s already become a better place because you’re in it.